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(no subject)

Date: July 1st
Location: The Initiative Hold & Courtyard.
Characters: Everyone.
Summary: New Transports arrive and are shuffled into the Courtyard after their initial briefings. Now with 200% more People-Seeking lists!
Warnings: None.

You've just been hustled and bustled through mazes of information and literal, wide corridors of the Initiative Hold and you've been equipped with your weapon—be it a gun, a sword, or even your existing powers. They've handed you this light netbook and a small pouch of coins (or a debit card, if you're more inclined), and there are several Transports before and after you going through the very same motions. You can hear the Greeter's voice as she walks alongside large groups, telling them all about the history of this place and sharing with you your purpose here in a hurried and urgent tone. "You're in luck that we have enough rooms for all of you; the housing building is getting awfully full. Please, let me show you into the courtyard."

You pass what looks like huge gymnasiums, all with dummies and targets strewn and splayed around the room. Training areas. There are even classrooms, and a few small offices. You're rushed past a large library while the Greeter informs you that you can find almost all your information there, if you've got the time to look—and trust her, you'll have time. You don't spend a lot of time in the bank, and it's a bit of a blur of exchanges with more and more of these strangely-accented and oddly polite-seeming members of the Initiative.

Soon enough, you're in a massive courtyard bustling with all the other Transports. It's not exactly what you'd expect, and it looks more like barracks than anything—huge walls of concrete and stone, separating you from all of the hallways you'd just passed through. It's raining heavily, and dark clouds loom in the air, though it hasn't turned to snow. It's a chill cold, and there are shelters—long cloth hangings that extend from the walls of concrete to house you from the rain, but not enough. Most notably, the courtyard is filled with a marketplace. Even in the cold and the rain, there are several citizens seated at their covered booths and tables, bundled up against the weather. They're selling all manner of their own handmade goods and foods, and citizens and Transports alike are traveling from one small covered shop to another in search of all manner of necessities. Now and then around you you might spot paper fluttering in the faint wind from somewhere relatively dry. It looks like a list.

The Greeter's voice has become so faint now, but you swear you can make it out in the back of the crowds as she tells you, "Good luck. Be safe!"

Her voice is drowned out by the busy marketplace, though even the transactions taking place are somewhat subdued. Nobody is overly happy, really, though most citizens can be found with smiles on their faces. It doesn't seem like they're that shocked to see you, either; even if you're not bound in tattered rags and wrapped in heavy shawls as they are. You're welcome to walk up to a shop, and find yourself something to eat—hey, maybe you'll even find something akin to a raincoat. Or, you can join the others under the coverings against the walls. Where am I? What war? She was talking so fast, and it didn't all make very much sense… did anyone else catch it all?

Welcome to the courtyard. Welcome to the Initiative Hold—and most importantly, welcome to Exsilium.

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[ Unfortunately for both of them, there's no memory to return here. The events Ren is describing haven't happened for Aoba yet, and the more Ren has to say, the more lost Aoba feelings. Why is Platinum Jail sending him an invitation in the first place? Haga helping them in isn't so strange, but he has no idea what Ren means when he talks about contracting a worm. Did Aoba manage to get rid of the bug before they entered the tower then?

The part that really loses him is the comment about not being present in the All Mate's drive-by ... like Ren is talking about something distinctly separate from himself.

He's staring down at Ren willing him to start making sense now. ]

None of it. Ren, what do you mean "The All Mate Ren"?

[This is all... Very problematic. Ren's mostly worried about the memory loss that Aoba is experiencing. Even if the gap is a lot less significant than the last time, the fact that it happened again is alarming. It couldn't have been blackout spots from the other personality within Aoba taking control, because Ren had been present to see that he'd been himself for the most part.

There's a troubled hum, and Ren lowers his head to avert his gaze.]

...Aoba. I was not originally an All Mate. I transferred my consciousness into this All Mate that you found discarded on the side of the road many years ago. Before that, my consciousness was a part of yours. It was my duty to act as a balance within your mind.

I abandoned my All Mate form and locked myself away in your mind. Because of that, the bug affecting the All Mate caused him to aggressively attack you.

[ Aoba's a little worried about that too, because nothing good can come out of the memory loss he's suffering, but right now he's a lot more concerned about the information Ren is sharing with him.

He looks absolutely dumbfounded right now. Not upset, or shocked, or angry, or happy.... Just confused. He's picking through his own memories to try to figure out what Ren is talking about, but events aren't the same. While he can recall finding the All Mate he's still having trouble remembering a consciousness that was part of his, but--

No, that's not right. He's heard the other voice in his head before. While he isn't sure what to make of that yet, and hasn't thought of that as a separate conscious yet or part of himself... does Ren have something to do with all of that?

He's quiet for a long time before he slowly starts to frown in concentration. ]

Part of my consciousness...

[ It's confusing, and it doesn't make a lot of sense, but at the same time something about it kind of does. He's not sure how to describe the confusing mix of emotions he's feeling right now. ]

Edited 2013-07-25 03:32 (UTC)

[More than anything, Ren wishes he could see into his mind and ascertain what he's thinking. He probably could but... It'd involve abandoning the All Mate again, and there's a chance something could go wrong again.

Ren reaches a paw out to press it against Aoba's cheek, in a way he hopes is reassuring. Even if in the past he'd used that method to push Aoba away, there's not much he can do in a tiny body like this.]

Aoba? Is none of this familiar to you?

[ It's probably not the best idea. Especially when it's possible to just ask Aoba what he's thinking. Even if Aoba would have trouble really articulating it all right now it'd still be a lot safer than the mind jump plan.

Ren's method seems to be working though. Aoba's leaning his head into the tiny paw just slightly. It's comforting, even if he's still more alarmed by what Ren just told him than he is comforted by the touch.

His gaze flicks off to the side for a few seconds as he tries hard to remember this but... ]

This is the first I remembering hearing about any of this.

[Ren is relieved that Aoba seems to respond favorably to his paw. It allows him to focus specifically on the problem at hand that Aoba's memory is missing again. The fact that it is a very short amount of time in this instance is better than the last, but...

Ren leans forward to bump his head against Aoba's nose. He isn't the best at consoling, because he's never realized he had the capacity for it, so this is pretty new to him.]

Your memories may return in time. In the meantime I can ensure you're well-informed of everything I know.

[ Even if he doesn't feel like he's the best at consoling, Aoba still feels relieved just to be able to hold Ren up to his face like this. In fact he's raising Ren up a little so he can press his forehead against Ren's. He hasn't done any maintenance work on his robot pup (SELF??) but right now he feels like he could use this kind of contact.

Still he's only going to feel so much better about this situation. Between what happened to Mizuki back home, ending up at Exsilium and hearing this from Ren this has been the most upsetting past couple of days. And the worst part of all is it probably hasn't just been a couple of days! ]

Mm... Thanks Ren.

[ He is honestly thankful to Ren right now at least. ]

We should move somewhere out of the rain.

[Ren closes his eyes when Aoba presses their foreheads together, out of habit more than anything else. He wishes he could do something more for him, but without fully understanding the cause of the memory loss, there isn't much he can do right now. Later he should download information regarding lapses in memories and see if there was anything of use to be found there. He's not currently connected to the internet, so he'll need to find the network, since none seem readily available at first glance.

He opens his eyes to Aoba's suggestion.]

That would be best for your health. The Initiative provided housing upon our arrival, heading there to settle in would be logical.

[ Aoba's not sure what he can do about it either. He's got some vague idea that maybe this is the fault of his powers? If not it might be something that happened to him when he was brought to this world. It's hard to say, really, but it's disconcerting no matter what the reasons were.

He stays where he is a moment longer before standing up straight and cradling Ren in his arms. ]

I'm not exactly sure what way they are though. I haven't had a chance to head that way yet.

[Ren curls up in his arms, hiding his head under Aoba's jacket. He's had quite enough of the rain.]

I have not had time to download maps relevant to this place due to lack of network connection. However, I was informed the tablet had a map on it. It may be of use here.

[ Just to help out Aoba's gonna tug his jacket around Ren now. His shirt is getting wet now, but he doesn't really care about that at the moment. ]

Don't worry about it. I met a girl earlier who told me where to find the houses here.

[Ren nestles comfortably into the warmth, and it feels strange. But he's not entirely sure why it's strange. He puts the thought aside for now.]

Everyone here has proved very helpful. I am glad you received assistance when I was unable to provide it.

[ It feels pretty normal to Aoba. In fact, it's the only part of all of this that feels familiar and comforting to him. He's even unconsciously hugging Ren a little tighter against him. ]

That's not something you have to worry about. You're new here too, after all.

It's my duty to provide you assistance, no matter the circumstances. Let us proceed to our housing. You'll need to dry off soon.

[ Reaching into his jacket to tussle the fur on Ren's head. ]

I already said you don't have to worry about it. It's fine, okay?

[ He's quickly heading in the direction that he was pointed in before towards the apartments. ]

[Ren bumps his head against Aoba's hand. Aoba can say that all day long but... In the end, Ren really feels like he's let him down here and back home. He's just failing all over the place.]

... If you say so, Aoba.

[ He smiles and keeps his hand on Ren's head.

The smile stops as he starts getting closer to a big, looming building. ]

This is the place, right?

[There's a hum before he answers.]

It would seem this is the place. It matches the directions I received. Were you given a unit number that we'd be staying in?

[ Replying because the rooms changed and I forgot the number now, but IT'S THE APARTMENT NUMBER REALLY. ]

So it shouldn't be too hard to get to.

[smh smh

Ren's meanwhile trying to connect to the network to download a blueprint of the apartment building to find out exactly where the apartment is, but it's a no go again. Maybe his wireless chip is malfunctioning...]

Roger. Let's go upstairs.

[ Aoba, meanwhile, is completely clueless. He's just nodding in agreement with Ren and dodging into the building. Time to go make his way up to their new apartment and make themselves cozy.

It'll be a long stay, after all. ]

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